Electric switch.



C. E. ANDERSON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY8.1915 1,1M,M. f Patented D60.14,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. E. ANDERSON. ELECTRIC swncH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1915 1JL@%&%@Q Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GARE: ERIC ANDERSQN, F BEIDGEPGRT, CQNNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 PERKINS ELECTRIC SWITCH MANUFACTURING GOHEPANY, OF BRIDGEJPGRT, GGNNECTICUT,

.ll. QGRPORATIQN 03F CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SVJITCH.

menace.

' Application filed. May 8, 1915. Serial No. 26,782.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known thatl, CARL ERIC ANDnRsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Bridgeport, in the countyo'f Fairfield and State of ()onnecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates'to electric switches, particularlyto push button switches, the ob ject of my invention being to provide an improved switch operating mechanism and switch construction in general, as will be noted from the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section (on line 1-1, Fig. 6) through a switch in which my invention is illustratively embodied; Fig. 2 is a similar view taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 6; Fig. 3 is a dropped perspective of the switch frame and switch bar detached; Fig. 4c is a detached perspective of the rocker bar and switch spring elements; Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section on the line 5-5, Fig. 6, showing the manner in which the switch frame is mounted; Fig. 6 is a plan of the switch'with the carrying yoke omitted; Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse cross sections on the lines 7--7 and 8-8, Fig. 6, respectively; and Fig. 9 is a'perspective of the insulating shield which overlies the switch chamber.

In the form here shown, the present switch comprises a cup shaped body 10 of insulation within which the switch mechanism is mounted on the switch frame 11. four corners of the switch chamber are secured switch terminals 12, 13, 14 and 15, held in position by means of screws 16 passing upward through holes in the bottom of the body 10. The angled upper ends of the terminals 12, 13 and 14 underlie the ofiset bases of standards 17, .18 and 19, the ofiset upper ends of which carry binding screws .20 for clamping the wire ends. The screw 16 for the terminal is threaded into a nut 21 overlying the offset upper end of the.

terminal 15. Beneath the head of this screw and let into a suitably shaped recess in the base of the switch body is a strap 22 which connects the terminal 13 with the terminal 15 on the same side of the switch chamber but at the opposite end thereof. It is thus obvious that terminals 13 and 15 are in con- Specification of Letters Patent.

In the Patented Dec. id, 1915.

stant electrical connection and in the use of the switch the wire from the-main is connected to the binding screw on the standard l7.

The switch frame 11 comprises a strip of sheet metal bent to U-t'ormwith its opposite ends offset to form ears 23 and 24k resting in ledges 25 (F ig."5) formed at the bottom of lateral recesses 26 in the opposite sides of the switch chamber and secured-rigidly in position by screws 27 which enter the threaded holes 28 in the cars 23 and 24. The opposite sides of the frame are perforated in register at 29 to receive the pivot pin 30 on which the rocker bar 31 is pivoted. The latter comprises a pair of plates spaced apart but united by an integral cross strap Slotted bearing apertures 33 and 34 in the opposite'ends of these plates receive the cross pins 35 of the switch buttons '36 and 37 respectively with which they may be freely connected in well understood manner during the assembly of the mechanism but from which they cannot be detached when the mechanism is completely assembled. A depending lug 38 of the rocker bar is slotted at 39 to receive the arms 40 at the head of the guide pin 41 for the switch spring 42, through which the guide pin 41 passes longitudinally, so that the upper end of the spring bears against the cross arms 40. The oscillatin switch bar 43 is formed from a strip 0t sheet metal bent to a general U-form and having the portion between the opposite legs thereof bent inward to form a bearing bridge 44 through the hole 45 in which the lower end of the guide pin 41 freely passes. The up or ends of the legs of the switch bar are of set to form hearings in the switch -frame. lhese oliset bearings comprise a neck portion 46 terminated by a head 47 of greater diameter. To receive the latter the uprights of the switch frame 11 are transversely slotted at 48 a width suflicient to accommodate the heads 47, while the vertical slots 49, communicating with the cross heads 48, are of a less width and corthe switch piece oscillates. In the assembled position of the parts the bearings 46 of the switch bar 43 are forced down and held in the slots 49 by the tension of the switch spring 42 which is placed in position under tension. The extent of oscillation of the rocker bar 31 is limited by the impingement thereof against the opposite sides of the top of the frame 11. I

In order to exclude dirt, such as plaster or the like, from the interior of the switch chamber, a shield of insulation 51 is provided which is cut to exactly fit the top opening of the chamber. shield so thatcit may lie flush with the upper surface of the body, the latter is -recessed at 52 to afford a'ledge in, which the shield rests. Bays 53, 54, at the sides of the shield overlie the lateral recesses 26 down which the frame ears 23, 24 are passed to their supporting shoulders 25, while the flaps 55 enter the chamber just inside the uprights 17,18 and 19 for the binding screws 20, thus preventing the entry of wire beards into the switch chamber. A projection 56 overlies the corner in which the switch terminal 15 is situated. The shield ismaintained in position by carrying yoke 57 which extends longitudinally above the same and is held in position by the screws 58 at eachend.

The assembly of the switch parts is extremely simple. The switch bar 43 having been slightly compressed, the heads 47 of the offset bearing lugs are passed through the cross slots 48 in the uprights of the frame and the switch piece then moved downward with the necks 46 thereof in the bearing slots 49. The rocker bar 31 is then positioned within the frame 29 and its pivot pin 30 passed through the holes 29. The switch spring 42, with its guide pin 41 extending therethrough, is then seated upon the bridge 44 of the switch bar and the guide pin pushed down against the action of the spring 42 until its bearin lugs 40 are below the lower end of the arm 38 of the rocker, whereupon-it is moved into register with the slots 39 and permitted to rise, on the expansion of the spring 42, into these slots. The switch mechanism is now complete, and inasmuch as the spring 42 is under tension, the switch piece .43 is rocked to one side or the other against one ofthe pair of stops 50. In this condition the switch frame and the assembled switch mechanism,

may be mounted in the switch body and se-.

cured by means of the screws 27, taking into the ears 23, 24 of the switch frame.

The operation of the switch is readily un- (lei-stood. Upon the depression of the .outer button, the rocker bar 31 is swung on its pivot 30 thus depressing and simultaneously shifting the arm 38 thereof, and with it the upper end of the switch spring 42, past the To receive the axis of oscillation of the switch piece 43 pivoted at- 49 in the frame. The spring at once throws the switch bar 43 against the lugs 50 at the opposite end of the switch chamber. In its one stop position the switch bar extends between and electrically connects the switch terminals 12 and 13 at one end of the switch chamber, and in its other stop position extends between and electrically connects the switch terminals 14 and 15 at the other end of the switch chamber. If there is no wire connection to the binding screw for the switch terminal 14, the result is that the switch is in the off position when the switch piece lies between the terminals 14 and 15, although the latter is electrically connected to the line through strap 22. The switch is primarily designed how-' ever for a three-point connection, the wire from the terminal 14 being led to a remote control switch in well understood manner. During the oscillation of the rocker 31, the guide pin 41 is pushed down through the hole 45 in the bridge 44 of theswitch bar. By reason of the fact that this bridge is inwardly offset from the end of the switch piece, the pin may be made so short that it does not extend beyond the outer end of the switch bar and consequently the latter may be made of greater length than would oth- 95 erwise be possible within the confines of the switch chamber without danger of interference between the end of the pin and the bottom of the receptacle 10. A wider break between switch contacts is thus possible.

Various modifications of construction will readily suggest themselves which do not depart from what I claim as my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In a push button switch, an oscillating switch bar comprising a strap of sheet metal bent to U-shape, the portion between the opposite legs of the U being bent inwardly between the latter to form a bearing bridge and being centrally apertured, a switch 110 spring hearing at one end a ainst said bridge and a guide pin for the spring reciprocating in said aperture on the oscillation of the switch bar, the end of the pin being confined at all times within the area of said bearing bridge.

2. In a push button switch, an oscillating switch bar of U-shape, the opposite ends of the bar being offset to form bearings each having a neck portion and a terminal head 120 of greater diameter, in combination with a frame having a pair of standards in which said'switch bar is pivoted, said standards having bearing slots adapted to receive the necks of the switch bar ends and communi- 125 eating cross slots of greater diameter through which the heads on said ends may be passed.

3. In a push button switch, an oscillating switch bar of U-shape, the opposite ends of 130 eagan the bar bein ofiset to form bearings each having a nec portion and a terminal head of greater diameter, in combination-with a frame having a pair of standards in which said switch bar is pivoted, said standards having bearing slots adapted to receive the necks of the switch bar ends and communicating cross lotsof greater diameter through which the heads on said ends may be passed, together with a switch spring bearing against the closed end of said switch bar'and tending to maintain the bearings thereof in the slots in the supporting frame.

- 4. In a push button switch, an inverted U-shaped switch frame forming standards and a cross bar uniting the upper ends thereof, stop lugs integral with the standards and extending from the opposite edges thereof, in combination with an oscillating rocker pivoted in said frame and impinging against the opposite sides of said cross-strap in-its 7 stop positions together with an oscillating switch barlimpinging against said stop lugs in its positions of rest.

5. In a push button switch, an inverted U-shaped switch frame forming standards and a cross bar uniting the upper ends thereof, stop lugs integral with the standards and extending from the opposite edges thereof, in combination with an oscillating rocker pivoted in said frame andimpinging -'against the opposite sides of said cross-strap in its stop positions, together with an oscillating' switch bar impinging against said stop lugs in its positions of rest, together with a switch spring operatively interposed between said rocker and switch bar.

6. In a push button switch, an insulating body having a switch chamber, lateral bays on o posite sides thereof forming shoulders for t e reception of a switch frame, switch terminals in opposite'corners at one end thereof, upstanding wire terminals leading from said. switch terminalsto the upper portion of said chamber, an insulating shield overlying said chamber and having lateral bosses shaped to and overlying the bays in theswitch chamber and having downwardly extending wings lying inside the wire termiand the switch terminal at the opposite end of the chamber unprovided with a wire terminal, together with a switch frame within the chamber, an oscillating switch ba'r piv- 'oted thereon and adapted to connect the pair of switch terminals at either end of the chamber, anoscillating rocker pivoted on said frame, and a compression sprin operw tively interposed between said roc er and switch bar to operate the latter.

In testimony whereof I havevsigned my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARLERIC ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE B. THOMAS,

H. M. WIonEnr. 

